“Of course, they are! Consistent dean’s lister and top one ‘yan! I expect she’ll be graduating in Latin Honors!”
“Wow! Nice to meet you, Lyanna. Hoping to hire you in my company when you graduate!” ang matanda.
“Thank you, Mr. Lim. I’d be honored!” si Lyanna.

I imagine my sister’s graceful movements as she shake the hand of the old man. Walang kapintasang pormalidad. With her golden colored skin, long straight hair, high cheekbones, she looks too sophisticated and mature to still grace the halls of her school. Tila siya’y isa nang ganap na arkitekto kung makapagsalita, makagalaw, at makapag-isip.

“This is Reanne, she aspires to be a lawyer someday. Mana sa ina!” Dad proudly said.
“Hello, Reanne…” a female voice said. “You should aspire to be a judge, instead! Gaya ni Judge Saniel.”
Humalakhak si Mommy. “Oh, she has to be a lawyer first before that, Mrs. Lim,” Mommy’s voice is laced with pride even when she suggested humility.

Kitang-kita ko ang madramang pagkurap niya ng isang beses. She let out a long sigh and gave me her full attention. Nilagay niya sa aking balikat ang kanyang kamay, as if escorting me back to the staircase so I would go back to my room.

Dad did not call me. He called Lyanna and Reanne, my two trophy sisters. I never harbored ill feelings towards my sister. But in my mind, I made fun of myself by thinking that they were trophies and I’m the scandal my parents wanted to hide… or get rid of.

Of course, I tried my best to be an honor student, but I guess being on honor student requires talent. I don’t have that talent.

I completely assure you, though. I am a Saniel. I am daughter of Tria and Ephraim Saniel. I resembled my grandmomma on the paternal side. Fair and with almost foreign features -mga katangiang wala sa dalawa kong kapatid.

They’re both slender and tall. I am not exactly short, but I’m not as tall as them. With high cheekbones, jet black straight hair, narrow nose, thin lips, and wide eyes, they look like they could be twins. Their golden color from my father and brown eyes from my mother completed their look.

Mga bagay na iba sa akin. Dahil ako’y kasing puti ng papel, narrow nose but with full lips. My eyes hooded eyes made it appear chinky. My naturally brown hair made me look more foreign. And as much as I want to look skinny like my two sisters, I look a bit curvy.

I wanted too look like my sisters. I wanted to have their talents. I dream, everyday, to have everything they have. Because I know that beauty is nothing but a useless commodity. Can be used to my advantage but I refuse the shallowness of its meaning.

But then pain got into me. My childhood heart couldn’t take the indifference.

Nilingon ko ang banda noong bata at nakita ko ang grupo ng mga naroon. Three men are with the kid, sa likod ng mga iyon ay dalawang babae. Isang mas bata at isang may katandaan. All were foreign to me. At least when I scanned them briefly.

Mabilis akong luminga-linga sa bangkang sinasakyan ko. Dumaong ito sa isang dalampasigang hindi ko alam kung saan. And all these time I thought it will be washed away by the waves and the ocean would sink me to oblivion.